A Swiftly Beating Heart
by Daniah Foxhunter
Summary: Lily Evans has been secretly protecting the people around her from an evil of which they are blissfully unaware. Then, she learns the truth about her fate, and how her mere existence brings everyone around her into mortal danger. Later violence, mild sex.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer : I don't own anything you recognize. But anything you don't recognize, I do own, so eh. All the main characters are JKR's, but some of the minor ones, and the plot belong to me. So MWAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Note : Okay...If you don't get a few clues from the first chapter...This is a very dark story. This isn't one of those L/J fics where they're like, "I don't like you," and two seconds later, "I love you let's go make out." Seriously, you don't get any Lily and James action for a long time. You'll see why at the end of the chapter. And there's lots of action and adventure in later chapters, but the first few are just setting up the plot. But don't worry! If you've read any of my other stories, you'll know that I am a hopeless romantic. You'll get your romance, have no fear. So...Read away m'dears.  
  
*~* A Swiftly Beating Heart *~*  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Lily burst into the dormitory, breathing hard, and glanced around. She sighed in relief that none of her roommates were up there yet. The note had come just before dinner had ended, and they would be up soon. She had to get away before they saw her, or else they would know that she was up to something. Dumbledore would, without a doubt, be clever enough to think something up to keep them there, but Lily didn't want to run into the professor either. She wasn't sure why, but every time she was around Dumbledore, she felt terribly shy, though she did not act it.  
  
Pushing these thoughts aside, Lily ran to her trunk, quickly unfastening her robes and removing her shirt, tie, vest, skirt, stockings, socks, and shoes. She pulled on a sports bra, a black sleeveless shirt, long black pants, and black dragon-hide boots. After lacing them tightly, she ran to the mirror. She pulled her long hair quickly into a high ponytail that glinted gold in the dim light of the room. Then, she rummaged in her robes for the note. After reading it several times, she tore it up and tossed it away, and then went to the window.  
  
The freezing night air hit her and turned her skin to gooseflesh as the window slammed open. A winter storm was coming, she could tell that much. On second thought, she grabbed her black woolen cloak and fastened it around her throat. Then, leaning out the window, Lily opened her mouth and deep from her chest came a mournful, frightening cry.  
  
She gazed up at the clouds, which were dark gray, lined with pale silver from the hidden moon. Soon, a dark shadow swept over them and began to descend towards the window. Lily called again for it, and soon it hovered before her at a perfect height.  
  
It was a beautiful creature, really. It was dark gray, almost black, glistening silver along its well-muscled flanks. It had a long snout, and navy eyes flecked with gray. Its mane and tail were black as the shadows of the night, and from just below its shoulders sprouted two wings, eight feet long, ebony, powerful. The creature was fierce, deadly, its hooves glinting shadow fire. It obeyed only its master, and replied only to her call.  
  
"Livalin," Lily said, before carefully sitting on the broad windowsill, and then swinging her legs over the side. Looking down was enough to make her stomach jump to her throat, but she knew that if she fell, Livalin would catch her. Still, Lily sat uneasily. Until she had slid one leg over the horse and had a firm hold of the black velvet reins that extended from a silver bit in the horse's mouth, she was nervous.  
  
Lily reached back, and snapped the window shut. The dark shadow had just cleared the light of the glowing window, when the dormitory door opened and the other girls walked in.   
  
  
Livalin turned northward, towards the tall mountain range behind the castle. Hogwarts rested on the crest of the first real mountain of the extensive range, a glittering point on a segment of darkness. Soon, Lily and Livalin were engulfed in fog, and though Lily's emerald eyes could not pierce it, she had more than faith in Livalin's incredible vision.  
  
Which was lucky, because Lily had to think. The call had been most unexpected. Last time she had checked, the Death Eaters had retreated from their lairs in the mountains. The Aurors from the ministry and the Death Eaters had had an enormous battle that had shook the roots of the mountains, causing avalanches, earthquakes and a fire that was luckily quenched just outside the nearest Muggle village, but that had left the air smoky and unbreathable for days. Finally, an early autumn breeze soon picked up and carried the smoke away.  
  
Thinking of this reminded Lily of the storm that seemed to be coming. Around them, the fog was now in tatters and strands, the rocky ridges streaked with white were becoming clearer below them. Livalin would not be seen at night, as he was little more than a shadow himself, however, Lily thought it was best to be cautious. She cast an invisibility spell around them.  
  
Soon, Lily saw only a little ways ahead the giant circle of mountains that surrounded a lake. As Livalin broached the ridges, he slowed his swiftly beating wings and hovered a little, so that Lily could examine the setting. As far as she could tell, no one was prowling the edges of the lake, nor the woods on the upwards slopes that led to the sheer, impassable cliffs that made the lake a perfect hide-out for the Death Eaters. The northern side was carved from the largest mountain on the range, and from it poured an enormous waterfall that fed the lake.  
  
"Down there," Lily raised her voice above the howling wind, which was whipping about them wildly.  
  
Livalin descended slowly to a clump of trees along the eastern side of the lake, about a hundred yards from the falls, which were roaring loudly. The sound echoed loudly around the enormous crater, deadened slightly in the woods, but Lily was close enough to hear them well. She dismounted, and pulled out her wand from her pocket. The woods were a bit stuffy, so she fumbled with the clasp of her cloak.  
  
"Damn it!" She muttered as the clasp caught on her hair. She tugged, and it came loose, but not without pulling several long strands of auburn tresses from her head.   
  
Walking silently and stealthily, close to the ground, Lily advanced towards the falls. She stopped occasionally, listening for voices, but heard nothing. The roaring got increasingly louder, and soon the air became cool and silvery with mist.  
  
The thick trees ended abruptly. She was standing on the gently sloping bank of a stream. The falls descended from four hundred feet above in a veil of black water and silver mist. Before stepping onto the muddy bank, she examined it. No footprints. So the damn fools had finally got themselves some brains. Carefully, carefully, she moved towards the waterfall, making sure to walk in the soft clover that grew at the edge of the woods. She came to the side of the falls, and the smooth mountain side that rose up above her. Glancing at the clouds, Lily saw that the storm was not long in coming, and that, though the crater was still, outside, the world must be in a torrent of wind.  
  
Lily pressed herself up against the cliff face, not drawing back at the cold surface, and slowly slid along it. She slipped behind the falls. Inside, was a large pool, though quieter than the torrent stream outside, surrounded by a rocky bank. Lily walked along it carefully, until she came to the other side, and was faced with eight passageways. Without even bothering to puzzle over it, she selected the one second from the left. She had been in these caves so many times that she knew them by heart, and she knew where they kept their prisoners.  
  
The passageway was narrow, dark, dripping with moisture, and very quiet. Lucky the ground was smooth, otherwise they would hear her for sure.  
  
Down, down, down, the passage went, then it dropped steeply into a winding staircase of roughly-hewn steps.  
  
Suddenly, she stopped. There were voices, and heavy footsteps, the swish of long cloaks, and a faint light.  
  
"...Hopefully this works..."  
  
"I hope he didn't send one of his deputies...Real thing..."  
  
"...Eviensir..."  
  
Lily didn't bother to listen to what they were saying. She put her arms straight out from her sides, so that her palms pressed against the wall, and did the same with the balls of her feet. As nimbly and quickly as a spider, she scaled the high walls until she was up against the ceiling. The voices were coming closer.  
  
"I don't know if he'll fall for it, though..."  
  
"...Old man, he's getting stupid. Otherwise, he wouldn't have let us get him."  
  
"True, but you never know Dumbledore. If we could just pry his mouth open and get some information out of him."  
  
So it was Dumbledore they wanted. Lily felt a little smug and proud of her Headmaster. Well, he had sent one of his deputies. So, too bad for them.  
  
The two Death Eaters passed below her, thankfully, because she was beginning to shake. At the top of the steps, they turned around, and held the torch they bore high. But they saw nothing, and so continued on their way. Lily lowered herself, dropped the last six feet to the steps, and continued down, faster now, for something like dread was beginning to grow in her stomach.   
  
At last, she came to the bottom of the steps. The straight hallway extended before her, so familiar, lit with one torch. She didn't bother to take it, but ran down the hall until she reached a doorway. Lily pulled out her wand, whispered an enchantment, and the door opened silently.  
  
A pale rectangle of yellowish light poured into the room. A foul odor hit Lily's nose, but she ignored it. In the middle of the room, he hung, his wild black hair about his face, which looked terribly pale. He was hanging by an iron collar around his neck, and a chain on the right and left, and one in the back. Well, more specifically, he was suspended. He also had fetters, and so his legs were pulled back, so that he was suspended in the air at a forty-five degree angle, his arms out on either side of him. Posted in the ground below him and just inches away from his heart, was a spear.  
  
"A fine lot you've gotten yourself into," Lily whispered fiercely.  
  
He looked up, his dark eyes clouded, his mouth hanging slack. He looked poisoned.  
  
"Great."  
  
Lily strode forward, seized the spear and wrenched it out of the ground. She used her wand to undo the chains, the fetters, and the cuffs. He dropped to the ground in a heap of dirty clothes and moaned, a moan that was little more than a whisper.  
  
Lily cast a spell on him, and then heaved him up over her shoulders, for he was as light as a feather. She locked the door behind them, and hurried up the steps.  
  
They were getting along quite well, and even made it up the first passageway, until they came to the pool behind the falls. They emerged from their passageway at the same time a dispatch of guards emerged from the far right one. Before Lily could disappear back into the passage, they spotted her.  
  
"It's her!" One of them exclaimed.  
  
Lily pointed her wand and yelled something, she wasn't quite sure what, but she knew it was some sort of hex. Then, she sprinted madly across the pool, splashing through the water, trying to glance over her shoulder to dodge curses and trying to watch ahead so that she didn't trip. She got as far as the falls before she fell as something burning hot and coming at a great speed hit her right calf. Lily stumbled, and he dropped off her shoulders. The Death Eaters were splashing through the water towards her.  
  
Gritting her teeth and trying to ignore the stabbing pain in her leg, as well as the steady flow of liquid from the spot to her ankle that she knew was not water, Lily hoisted him onto her shoulders again, and dashed through the falls.  
  
Soon enough, she was in the woods, but her leg was throbbing and Livalin was still a good ways away. She could hear the Death Eaters coming closer. She dropped to her knees in a little grove of shrubs, threw back her head, and called Livalin to her.  
  
Immediately, lights came to life all over the ride of the crater, and all through the woods. They knew she was there. Lily felt a surge of pride at the thought that she had evaded them all. They feared the cry. But before she had fully processed this thought, Livalin was there, flowing shadow, at her side. The Death Eaters were crashing through the brush behind her. Lily hoisted the near-dead boy onto Livalin's back, and then pulled herself up behind him, and seized the reins.  
  
"Go, Livalin, go!" She cried.  
  
With one beat of his enormous wings, he rose, powerful, mighty. Dodging the green, red, and violet sparks and rays of curses from all directions, he soared.  
  
"Faster, Livalin, we have to get to Hogwarts or he'll die!"  
  
At that moment, a great white light split in the sky, and sheets of freezing rain poured down on them. Livalin was not hindered, but only flew faster, for the wind was going southward, towards the castle, and bore them on it.   
  
Lily soon spotted the glowing specks that were the castle lights. Livalin landed on the front steps, and Lily dismounted, carrying him with her. Livalin disappeared with a crack of lightning and a roll of thunder. The lightning bolts were splitting right there on the front lawn, and Lily was soaked to the skin.  
  
With what little strength she had remaining, for everything was beginning to look very gray to her, as if she was in a world of shadows, Lily wrenched the front door open, and the two students collapsed in the entrance hall, in a pool of rain and blood. An astounded cry came form the staircase, and many feet hurried over to them. Through the shadows that were blocking her vision, Lily saw Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Madame Pomfrey. Dumbledore was saying something, but it reached her brain slowly, and the words sounded blurred. Through it all, though, she felt someone take her hand. The pounding in her ears cleared a little.  
  
"You came for me," He whispered.  
  
Lily gave his hand the tiniest of squeezes.  
  
Through the blood that was gathering in her mouth, she whispered back, "I would have done it if I had to face a thousand of them alone, Severus."  
  
  
"You let her get away, as well as the prisoner," Lord Voldemort hissed, his red eyes flaring, "Her and the prisoner. We could have used his death as an incetive to make Dumbledore hand her over."  
  
"Not entirely, my lord," Lucius Malfoy kneeled slightly. He was holding, folded in his arms, a dark length of material, "We found this, about a hundred yards from the falls."  
  
"What is it? A cloak? Is it marked with a name?"  
  
"No, but I know who it is, nonetheless, my lord. I only graduated from Hogwarts two years ago, and there was only one girl there who could possibly own this cloak."  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"These."  
  
Lucius held out his hand, and dropped into Lord Voldemort's extended palm four long strands of auburn hair, glinting gold in the torch light.  
  
~~~~  
  
There it is! Now review! 


	2. Chapter 2

Note : This is more setting up the relationships Lily has with everyone than anything else. It explains why she's going out with Severus (the greasy residue on his hair would be enough to keep me away, but, hey, we're not here to judge...), and how she feels about the Marauders. And you get to read my descriptions of the Marauders, just because I felt like writing them out...So...Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 2  
  
After two days' rest in the hospital wing, Lily returned to her normal schedule. Madame Pomfrey had healed the wound on her leg, though she did have a rather large scar there. Severus was fine, only a bit bruised, exhausted, dehydrated, and hungry. His stay with the Death Eaters had been rather uneventful, and not worth discussing. Even if he had wanted to, Severus was not allowed to speak of it to anyone but Lily or Dumbledore.  
  
"I don't really remember much, anyhow," Severus told Lily when she asked him about it, "I remember them beating me, and I remember seeing you come into the dungeon and I remember the waterfall. But how did we get back? I remember there were Death Eaters everywhere, but it seemed like we were flying over the mountains."  
  
"You must have been hallucinating," Lily replied in a measured voice, "McGonagall came and got us. She had a portkey. It probably just felt like flying because you were almost unconscious."  
  
Severus nodded, and shrugged. He didn't ask any more questions, but in his mind, he seemed to clearly remember two enormous black wings that had bore him to the front steps. Lily didn't seem to know anything, so he didn't trouble her at all.  
  
On Wednesday evening, Lily was discharged from the hospital wing and sent up to the dormitory to rest. As she trudged up the stairs, her mind picked over the thoughts that had been circling through it for the past two days.  
  
So the Death Eaters were back in their mountain lair. And they wanted something...Or someone. Lily's first thought was Dumbledore, but if they had wanted him, they would have done something besides kidnap a student. No, what was that word that the two guards had said? Eviensir. What's an Eviensir? Obviously, someone at Hogwarts, or someone connected to Dumbledore, had some powers they were hiding.  
  
She approached the door, and muttered the password. As Lily clambered in, a girl in the corner let out a high shriek of delight. The stunning blonde, with her wide blue eyes and her incredible figure, came flying over to embrace Lily.  
  
"We were so worried about you!" She exclaimed.  
  
"I'm fine, Arabella," Lily replied, hugging her back.  
  
Arabella took her hand and dragged her over to the corner where she had been sitting, doing Charms homework with their fellow seventh-years, James Potter, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew. They all greeted her warmly, smiling their welcome, Sirius pulling up a plump armchair for her to sit in.  
  
It was odd that, after knowing them for six and a half years, Lily could not really consider the four boys known as the Marauders as her close friends. Certainly, they knew some of her secrets, and she knew a good deal of theirs, and they had been through a scrape or two together, but they were still not that close. In their first and second year, Lily had considered them favorite playmates, but all children are friends, no matter what they say, at that age. Then, as they grew up, they grew apart, and now were simply of neutral, friendly terms with each other. They had become closer when Arabella had begun dating Sirius, but that was all. Still, Lily, for the most part, liked them very much.  
  
James was Head Boy and Quidditch Captain, not to mention the best-looking guy in school. Girls swooned when he walked by. It was so much more than just his face (square of jaw, long, straight, nose, honey/hazel eyes and scattered freckles), or his crop of wild black hair that every girl wanted to run her hands through. It was more, even, than his broad shoulders, slim waist, and all the rest of his body that was fairly rippling with muscles. No, James possessed that vibe, that certain, irresistible something, that oozed sexiness and sent girls into swooning fits.  
  
James' closest friend was Sirius. Sirius was tall, dark, and handsome, to put it in a nutshell. He had a clever look to his face, with his angular jaw, and he constant smirk on his lips. His deep-set eyes were black, under heavy brows. His hair was also black, though not ruffled like James', but sleek, and worn in a ponytail at the nape of his neck. Sirius did not have the every-man sort of quality that James had, but there was something in his eyes that would snag anyone who looked too deeply and keep them there.  
  
Then there was Remus. Remus was much quieter than his friends, and there was an aura of secrecy and mystery about him. He had a broad body, but not heavy, with large hands and long fingers. There were scars just paler than his skin on his neck, chest, and arms, and one from his left temple, down across the corner of his mouth, to his chin. No one except the Marauders knew how he got them. At first sight, Remus Lupin was usually pitied for his deformations. But there was a deep sadness in his blue eyes that drew people to him. His blonde hair always hung about his face, giving the impression of a very shy person peeking out behind a half-drawn curtain. All of this made people want to take care of him and make him happier, though nothing made him happier than being with his friends, so he regarded the sympathizers and pitiers with friendly indifference.  
  
Last, and usually least, there was Peter. Peter did not seem to fit in with the other three at all. While they had their own charms and handsome qualities, Peter...Did not. He was nearly a head shorter than Remus, who stood six-one. He was plump and always red and a little sweaty. His dishwater-brown hair was thin and wispy, his Grey eyes small and close to his pointy nose. Beneath his robes, his fat little feet attached to short, plump legs, were always hurrying after his tall, lean friends. He had none of their athleticism, charms, or brilliance. His single pride and joy was that he could transform like them, and that he was a part of their group. Indeed, Peter was popular, because James, Sirius, and Remus were very nice guys, and they included Peter in everything. Not out of pity, but because they considered him their best fried, and the Marauders would be incomplete without him. (I mean, come on now, even though he did turn out evil, you couldn't have "The Marauder's Map by Messrs. Moony, Padfoot, and Prongs," now could you?)  
  
And, although these four were wonderful boys, Lily had never felt close to them since after their second year. Something about them was...Almost annoying. They never did anything more than pull pranks, and Lily would admit to having helped them with some, as well as the getaway. It was mostly James. He was nice enough, yes, but something about him said, "I am soooooo much better than you" to everyone but his three best friends, Bella, and Lily. He didn't project that towards Bella because she was Sirius' girlfriend, and not towards Lily because he respected Lily. Lily was Head Girl, and everyone respected, admired, and loved her.   
  
"So where have you been?" Sirius asked as soon as Lily was comfortable.  
  
"Sick."  
  
"Again?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"That's too bad. You missed a great lesson on self-levitation in Charms."  
  
"That is too bad," Lily sighed, "I'll just have to get extra tutoring from Flitwick this weekend."  
  
"Or not!" Bella exclaimed, "Hogsmeade this weekend, remember?"  
  
"Oh, yes," Lily frowned, "Well I'll get it on Sunday then."  
  
"Self-levitation," James snorted derisively, "Who needs it when we've got broomsticks, anyways?"  
  
Bella rolled her eyes, "Not all of us here are Quidditch captains, James."  
  
"Well, I know," James started, looking slightly out, "But-"  
  
"It's okay, Bella," Lily said, "James just didn't realize that we're not all Quidditch-cup winners. It's hard to keep track of everyone when the whole world revolves around you, isn't it James?"  
  
Sirius, Remus, and Peter all burst out laughing. They loved watching James get put down by a girl.  
  
"Do you think Flitwick will be around on Sunday?" Lily asked Bella.  
  
"I don't see why you push yourself so hard, Lily," James said in his lazy voice, "And I don't beleive you were sick. There's only so many times the flu can get that bad, and Madame Pomfrey fixes the flu in about two minutes."  
  
Lily didn't answer, only tightened her jaw and rolled her eyes a little. She knew James was only teasing her, but she was not in the mood for joking.   
  
Sometimes, Lily found her friends almost unbearable. They had no clue that the Death Eaters had gathered in the mountains again. She knew that their ignorance was good, but she just wanted to shake them all by the shoulders and scream at them to stop being so stupid. The entire school, every last one of them (except the youngest students, because they were small children, and shouldn't have to deal with that), was one big ignorant mass.  
  
Lily felt her annoyance growing, so she quickly tuned in to the conversation.  
  
"Our chances against Slytherin?" James was saying, "Good. Though they've got that Grider for their Seeker now. Glad they've stopped taking advice from that dolt Snape..."  
  
James voice faded and a faint blush came into his cheeks.   
  
Awkward silence.  
  
Lily nodded slowly, and said, in a light voice, "I'm going to go on up to bed."  
  
She said it in a way that meant nothing more than what she spoke, but that suggested that James had crossed the line...Again. She knew they all hated Severus, but, dear God! she adored the boy.   
  
Severus Snape was the sort of boy who, if you were to line all the guys up in school, would be the most unattractive of the attractive. He did not have good looks, but there was something about him that was so incredibly attractive (though very few girls were willing to admit it) that Lily couldn't resist.  
  
She remembered the day she had first found him to be so. Towards the end of their fifth year, a large group of students from all the houses were down at the lake, taking a swim. Lily had been lounging on the grass with Bella, when they glanced up and saw Snape coming towards the group. Bella and Lily shared a look, something along the lines of shock and amusement. Snape was very anti-social, but he had smug look about his sharp features. His black eyes were wild with excitement, pride, and a smirk was on his lips. As he approached them, the group fell quiet.  
  
"Well, what are all you looking at?" Snape exclaimed.  
  
They all immediately went back to what they had been doing.  
  
Lily, interested (though she didn't know why), propped herself up on one elbow, and watched Severus. He was wearing loose swimming trunks, like most of the boys, and a baggy shirt over it. He looked around for a minute, and then lifted the shirt over his head.  
  
After Lily had picked her jaw up off the ground, she looked closer. She didn't know why, but she had never noticed how incredibly fit Severus was. She had never noticed how his biceps bulged, how broad his shoulders were, how lean his stomach. Standing there in the sunlight, he was incredible. Severus must have felt her gaze, for he looked over, and Lily dropped her eyes and felt a blush creep into her cheeks as his eyes wandered over her. Then a splash, and he had disappeared under the cool surface of the lake.  
  
Later, Lily noticed how he had to unbutton his cuffs to fit his wrists through, and how strong his hands and forearms were, wrapped around her waist, and what an incredibly good kisser he was. Severus was followed everywhere by a shadow. It clouded his eyes and drew together his dark brows that cut that startling black line in his pale face. Lily sometimes wondered if he wasn't part vampire, but she never pursued the subject.  
  
All that mattered was that he loved her. And she loved him back. At the very least, she felt more for him than she had ever felt for any guy. Whenever she saw him, her hair swirled and they were surrounded in a red cloud, separated from everyone and in their own little world.  
  
And even after almost two years, James Potter still didn't have enough brains to remember that they were dating. Lily scowled, and went to bed.  
  
  
Dumbledore sat in his office, pondering over a book, when he heard a tap on the window. Glancing over, he saw an owl.  
  
"What's this?" He muttered to himself as he took the note from the owl's beak. The owl soared back out again.  
  
Dumbledore opened the envelope, and tossed it on the desk.   
  
// Deliver the Eviensir//  
  
A dark shadow passed over the room. Dumbledore snatched the envelope from the desk and turned it over. The broken seal was green, and had been stamped with the Dark Mark.  
  
*~*  
  
All right. Now review! 


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note : 'Ello, Tink! Sorry it's been so long. I had this thing called my junior year of high school and I made an important discovery : Stress is not my friend. Anyways, thanks to everyone for their lovely reviews, and don't worry! Everything will get sorted out in due time! No worries, no worries! It'll all come full circle, just be patient! Anyways, here's the third chapter, which has been in revision for about eight and a half million years. No kidding. I hope you all enjoy it. It's sort of a exposition bit, not much action, just a lot of explanation.  
  
Disclaimer : I don't own anything you recognize. Please don't sue me.   
  
Chapter 3  
  
Professor McGonagall hurried down the hall, several bobby pins in her mouth, and a few in her hands, as she pinned her hair back into its usual sleek bun. Her heels clicked over the floor, her robes swishing. She came to the snarling gargoyle.  
  
"Peppermint nougat," She barked.  
  
The gargoyle leapt aside, and she mounted the ascending staircase. At the top of the stairs, she knocked hurriedly.  
  
"Come in," Came Dumbledore's voice.  
  
"Headmaster," She said, "What is the matter?"  
  
"This is the matter," Dumbledore handed her the envelope and letter.  
  
McGonagall's jaw dropped, "How could they know that the Eviensir is here?"  
  
"I've got no idea. They must have someone now that went here, or somehow knows her. And she must have slipped up somehow. I can't imagine her doing something that thoughtless though."  
  
McGonagall sat down, her hand to her mouth, breathing hard.  
  
"You know what this means, don't you...Albus?"   
  
"Yes, Minerva."  
  
"How will we do it?"  
  
"There is nothing to do but to tell her straight out. She has to accept it, or it will destroy her. She already has a hidden life, and that is difficult enough."  
  
McGonagall blinked rapidly, "Oh, but, Albus, she already has so much pressure on her. She's been doing all this running around-"  
  
"We don't have a choice, Minerva!" Dumbledore exclaimed, "She can not leave Hogwarts without knowing who she is!"  
  
McGonagall looked shocked. Outbursts such as that from Dumbledore were few and far between. In all her time with him, she had seen Albus lose his temper only once or twice.  
  
"I will ask her to tea," McGonagall said, "Monday afternoon."  
  
Monday afternoon came very quickly. Lily dug deep into her wardrobe and pulled out a knee-length silk dress, of a green just lighter than her eyes. Sighing, for she very much disliked dresses, she pulled it over her head. Looking in the mirror, Lily brushed her hair until it shone, and fastened Severus' necklace around her neck. Then she slipped on white heels, and made her way down to McGonagall's office.  
  
Lily knocked politely, then entered. Professor McGonagall was standing there in her usual dark green robes.  
  
"Good afternoon, Professor," Lily said.  
  
"Good afternoon, Miss Evans. This way, please."  
  
Professor McGonagall led her to a door in the far corner, and opened it. Lily did not notice how tightly her professor gripped the doorknob, to keep from shaking.   
  
On the other side of the door was a small parlor. Heavy brown velvet curtains were pulled back to let the cool winter light stream in, shining onto a walnut table and chairs set with a silver tea set. Lily took her seat opposite Professor McGonagall. Professor McGongall poured the tea, and offered sugar and cream, and thin slices of fruitcake.  
  
"Excuse me, Professor," Lily said after about five minutes of silence, "You've never called me to have tea with you before. Is something the matter?"  
  
"Yes," She replied abruptly, "And no. This is a matter of great importance, concerning you, Lily."  
  
"Have I done something wrong?" Lily asked.  
  
"If being born to your fate is wrong."  
  
Lily didn't know what to say to that, so she took another sip of tea. She thought that McGonagall seemed quite unusual. Normally, her face was set, her eyes could look at anything and strip off all of its covers to reveal what it truly was. But now, her eyes flickered from Lily's face, to the tea set, to the door. Lily felt very unsettled. It was not like McGonagall to talk in such a romantic fashion, either.  
  
Finally, McGonagall spoke, "Miss Evans, as you know, the Death Eaters have come back to the mountains."  
  
Lily resisted the temptation to say something sarcastic. As uncharacteristic as McGonagall seemed, Lily knew that she shouldn't press her luck.  
  
"Yes, I realized that last week. What are they looking for now? Not the Stone?"  
  
"Of course not," Professor McGonagall drained her cup, and set it down with a little clink on the saucer, "No. The Stone is...Safe. No, they are looking for a person. A person of great power."  
  
Lily's brows came together. McGonagall took a deep breath.  
  
"Miss Evans, have you ever heard of the Eviensir?"  
  
Lily nodded, "When I was going to save Severus, I heard two guards talking. I couldn't hear what all they said, but I did hear them say Eviensir. I don't know what it is, though."  
  
"As you know, Hogwarts was founded roughly a thousand years ago. Godric Gryffindor, the founder of your house, was married."  
  
What has this to do with anything? Lily wondered. She knew the basic history of Hogwarts fairly well, as most of the students did. But what did wizards from a thousand years ago have to do with the present?  
  
"To Rowena Ravenclaw, right?"  
  
"Ravenclaw!" Professor McGonagall exclaimed with a short laugh, "Good God no! No, Gryffindor was not married to Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff. He was married to another witch. Her name was Lilania. But she was not just an ordinary witch. She was the Eviensir."  
  
"What's an Eviensir?"  
  
"She was the Eviensir, Miss Evans. There is only one Eviensir. And Eviensir is a word from what was the wizards' tongue, which has died out. It translates to Young Woman of Steel."  
  
Lily snorted, "It sounds like some Muggle Superhero."  
  
McGonagall's brows came together. Lily dropped her eyes and took another sip of tea.  
  
"It does indeed. But Lilania was not a superhero. Not in the Muggle sense, at least. She was no ravishing beauty, but her presence commanded respect. What was special about her...Well...She was a guide, a leader of her people. Very few of them knew it, but when times were the hardest, she was their protector."  
  
"What was she, invincible?"  
  
"No...She was killed at a very young age. However, she had certain powers."  
  
Once again, Lily wondered what Godric Gryffindor's wife had to do with anything.  
  
"Powers? What, could she fly or something?"  
  
"No. She was unusually athletic. Very fast, very swift, very graceful. Lilania was better at sports than most men, especially Quidditch and various Muggle hunting sports, though she rarely participated in those. You'd have to do research to find out what all the powers are. Her main gift, however, was the gift of J'anjuilia."  
  
"J'anjuilia?" Lily's tongue stumbled over the word.  
  
"It's another word in the Wizarding Tongue. It translates to Heart of Steel."  
  
"I'm sorry, professor, but this is beginning to sound very corny. What has some dead witch's weird powers got to do with me?"  
  
"Miss Evans, may I remind you that, though we are not in the classroom, I am still your teacher?"  
  
Lily frowned. Well, at least McGonagall was acting normal again. For a minute, there was silence. The, Lily took a ginger cookie.  
  
"So what happened to her?"  
  
Professor McGonagall sighed, "As it turns out, someone else loved Lilania as well."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Salazar Slytherin."  
  
"Go figure."  
  
McGonagall ignored this commen, "In fact, Lilania and Slytherin had been lovers for several years before, before she met Gryffindor. Then she fell in love with Gryffindor, and they married and had a child. His name was Catrion. A short while later, Lilania died. Nontheless, her line continued on, though all her descendatns were males. A very great Seer prophecised that, when her descendant was born that was female, and in the exact image of her, Lilania would return to earth to protect the Wizarding World from evil."  
  
Finally. Lily's mind started spinning. It was one of those strange moments when she thought she knew exaclty what was going on, but she did not want to believe it. And she did not want to say anything, in case she was wrong. She thought if she could stop her mind from thinking it, it would not be true. But Lily's mind continued, forging ahead in its seemingly endless analyzation.  
  
"And she would protect them all her life?" Lily asked hopefully.  
  
"Yes, but the story of Lilania would be replayed. But this new Lilania - "  
  
"Me?"  
  
Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, her eyes bright, then closed it, and nodded.  
  
"This new Lilania, what will she do?"  
  
"She has the Heart of Steel, but she is also the Feriolon."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
McGonagall swallowed the last of her tea and set her cup down. The look on her face was the closest Lily had ever seen her to crying.  
  
"Professor?"  
  
"It is the...soul destined to die."  
  
Lily spouted the first words that came to mind, "But we're all going to die, so what does it matter? I mean, we can't say when..."  
  
"Yes. But there's more. She has the Heart of Steel, but like Lilania, she's going to fall in love. Then, the Heart will be stripped off to reveal the Fandiolarin, the Heart of Secret Feelings, the Heart of Passion."  
  
"Wait a minute," Lily's head was spinning even faster, "You're telling me that...I'm going to lose this power of mine, because I'm going to fall in love? How do we know that I haven't already lost it?"  
  
"Will we know."  
  
"And then I'm going to die?"  
  
Lily, sitting there in the chair, suddenly felt very small. So this was her fate? She was destined to die young because of the jealousy of Salazar Slytherin?  
  
"How did Lilania die?"  
  
"Slytherin murdered her out of jealousy."  
  
"And Gryffindor?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Lily nodded. The room around her expanded further. She could see her seventeen years plainly before her eyes, and wondered why she hadn't suspected earlier.  
  
Lily was born in a small village just outside the Scottish border. When she was a baby, and she learned to walk, she would run about her family's small farm, tearing things apart. When she got a little older, and went to school, none of the boys could run as fast as her. Lily had even been in her share of fistfights, and won them all. She was a fierce, red-headed warrior with a sharp wit and a sharper tongue. When she came to Hogwarts, the Sorting Hat sat on her head for about two seconds before it gasped, and pronounced her a Gryffindor. And when she had walked into the room, at eleven years old, she felt as though all the Gryffindors were her siblings, and in a way, they belonged to her. Certainly, they did not fight that feeling. There was something about little Lily Evans that was so alive, blazing, constant movement and still solitude, emotions running high at all times. A swiftly beating heart.  
  
"Is there anything else?"  
  
"I know this must come as a shock to you, Miss Evans, but it is our duty to let you know who you are. And yes, there is more. This new Lilania, Lily, is the Eviensir of her time. And when the Heart of Passion is revealed, she will bear the Iriansar."  
  
"What does all that mean? What's this Iriansar?"  
  
"You will have a child. The child will be the Iriansar. The little boy destined to destroy the evildoer."  
  
"Voldemort?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
There they fell silent. Outside, the grey clouds rolled slowly over the grounds. Students strolled in long cloaks through the muddy lawns. House elves hurried about preparing dinner in the kitchen below the Great Hall. Papers rustled and books slammed open and closed in the library, like a hundred clocks marking every second. But in that small room, there was utter stillness. Only deep inside of Lily did her heart beat, steadily, constant, swift.   
  
"Are you sure about this?" Lily asked, "You're sure you haven't mixed it up somehow? You know that I'm Muggle-born, right?"  
  
McGonagall nodded, "There are many families, Miss Evans, besides your's, that lost track of their Wizarding heritage. There was a time when it was considered shameful by Muggle society, and your family, like many others, was probably willing to do a little forgetting on their part. Unfortunately, heirs of a wizard as powerful as Godric Gryffindor can not forget forever."  
  
"And they can't choose their fates, either, can they?" Lily added, without really expecting an answer, her voice bitter.  
  
"You are a rare species, Miss Evans. You know your fate, and your destiny."  
  
"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Lily asked. Her hand was shaking so badly that the cup was making a persistent rattling noise against the saucer, "Am I supposed to feel...Lucky or something? Because I can tell you -!"  
  
"No," McGonagall interrupted, "But now you understand what it is that Lord Voldemort wants."  
  
"What about it?" Lily responded in a surly voice, "Who cares?"  
  
"Does that not help you?" McGonagall asked, though her patience was clearly on the edge.  
  
Lily was tempted to say, "Not at all," but McGonagall had a way of saying things so that Lily knew she would have to think about her answer. So she thought. Voldemort wanted her dead. Well, that was no news. Nearly a third of Voldemort's followers that were in Azkaban were there by Lily's doing. Ever since her fourth year, when she had begun these nighttime journey to the mountains on a winged steed, and had first outsmarted Voldemort's cleverest guards, Voldemort had wanted that person...The assassin in the black cloak who was little more than a shadow, and now he knew who the assassin was. The girl with the fiery hair and the emerald eyes, and he wanted her dead.  
  
But what did that tell her? Lily looked at McGonagall, who was looking concerned. Clearly, she just wanted some confirmation that Lily wasn't going to go insane and throw herself off of the Astronomy tower. So Lily gave it to her.  
  
"I am the Eviensir," Lily said slowly.  
  
McGonagall nodded, pleased, "You know your fate. The question now is : what will you do until fate takes action?"   
  
"Fate already has, Professor." 


End file.
